‘Sex, lies & videotape story a lie’

Spain have dismissed a Brazilian media story accusing them of hosting a party at their hotel in Recife with alcohol, women and a game of strip-poker after their Confederations Cup opener against Uruguay last week.

Spain have dismissed a Brazilian media story accusing them of hosting a party at their hotel in Recife with alcohol, women and a game of strip-poker after their Confederations Cup opener against Uruguay last week.

The world champions said six players had money stolen from their rooms while they beat Uruguay 2-1 last Sunday, but a Brazilian newspaper reported a different version of events via hotel staff on Monday.

In a story titled 'Sex, lies and videotape', it said the thefts were noticed after the five women left the hotel the following morning and that some of the events had been caught on a hotel security camera.

"Lies are always found out in the end," Spain and Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, one of those who reportedly had money stolen, said on Tuesday. "I don't think they are doing it to destabilise us, they had to look for an excuse."

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a statement denying the story, rejecting the reports which it said undermined the good name of the team and the reputation and professionalism of the players.

"Six of the national team players were the subject of a robbery at the team hotel in Recife during the course of the Spain-Uruguay match at the Confeder-ations Cup. That fact was reported in due course to the Brazilian police," the statement said.

The RFEF said events would not distract the team ahead of their semifinal clash with Italy in Fortaleza on Thursday.